Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
Does the Bible seem intimidating to you? Isn’t it quite long, and is it difficult to find your way? It’s not the easiest read, especially if you try to go front to back.
Rebekah Matt is here to help. She provides a great introduction to the most intimidating aspects of the Bible, along with great suggestions for overcoming them.
If you’d like to write a guest post for Knowable Word, please see the guidelines page.
I used to panic when I hit a confusing Bible verse. My instinct was to immediately grab a commentary or search online for explanations. But I discovered something liberating: most of the time, the Bible passage itself contains the clues I need to understand it.
Here’s an encouraging truth: biblical authors wrote to communicate, not to confuse. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians or when Luke recorded Jesus’ parables, they intended their original readers to understand their message. This means the clarity we need is often right there in the text itself.
The key is learning to slow down and look more carefully at what’s already on the page.
When you encounter a difficult passage, resist the urge to immediately jump elsewhere. Instead, ask yourself: “What can I observe right here in this text?”
Look for the author’s own explanations. Biblical writers often define their terms or clarify their meaning within the same passage. For example, when Paul uses the word “flesh” in Romans 8, he explains what he means by contrasting it with “spirit” in the surrounding verses.
Notice repeated words and phrases. If an author uses the same word multiple times in a passage, that repetition is usually significant. The repeated word often carries the main theme or emphasizes what the author wants you to catch.
Pay attention to connecting words. Words like “therefore,” “because,” “but,” and “however” show you how the author’s thoughts flow together. These little words often unlock the logic of the entire passage.
The verses right before and after your difficult passage are your best friends. They provide the natural flow of thought that helps explain confusing statements.
When Jesus says something that seems puzzling, look at what prompted him to speak and how his listeners responded. When Paul makes a theological statement that’s hard to grasp, check if he provides examples or applications in the surrounding verses.
I remember struggling with Ephesians 2:8-9 about salvation by grace through faith, wondering exactly what “this” referred to in “this is not of yourselves.” Instead of immediately consulting a commentary, I read the entire paragraph. The flow of Paul’s argument in verses 1-10 made his meaning much clearer.
Train yourself to ask questions that the passage itself might answer:
Often, reading just a few more verses will answer these questions without requiring any outside resources.
Most Bibles include helpful features that keep you focused on the text itself:
Chapter and paragraph divisions might show you natural thought units. When you’re confused about a verse, read the entire paragraph it belongs to.
The author’s own cross-references matter most. When Paul says “as I wrote before” or when Jesus refers back to Old Testament passages, those internal connections are significant.
Headings in study Bibles can help you see the broader flow of thought, though remember these are added by editors, not the original authors.
When you learn to find answers within the text itself, Bible study becomes much more satisfying. Instead of fostering dependence on experts, you develop confidence that God’s Word is accessible to you as an ordinary reader.
Start small. Pick a familiar passage that has always puzzled you slightly, and spend 10 minutes just observing what’s actually written on the page. You might be surprised by what you discover when you slow down and look carefully at what God has already provided in His Word.
The Bible was written for ordinary people like us. With careful observation and a little patience, we can often find the answers we’re looking for right there in the text itself.
Mark Ward believes the key to being an effective Bible teacher is to love your people. He offers “5 Ways Love is the Secret to Better Bible Teaching.” I am in full agreement. It doesn’t matter whether you’re leading a small group or teaching a larger gathering: Your love for your people is the one vital behavior that exclusively (as far as it is up to you) determines the success of your teaching ministry.
Ward’s 5 ways are:
His article is worth reviewing for further explanation. Check it out!
Mahkeo (2017), public domain
If you need refreshment or encouragement, schedule some time with a new Christian. The recently-reborn often have a clarity and passion lacking in those who are older in the faith.
A friend was recently telling me about a new Christian he knows. I was thrilled to hear the steps this young man was taking! He heard biblical teaching on stewardship and finances, and he asked for helping making a budget. He was convicted about church membership, so he looked for a local body to join. He read the Great Commission and began inviting his unbelieving friends to an evangelistic Bible study.
For this young man, there is great power in recognizing and submitting to Jesus as Lord. When the master’s commands are clear, there is no room to argue.
As we study the Bible, we often come up short when it comes to application. This is both understandable and regrettable.
Our flesh is fiercely resistant to the Spirit, so it is natural to omit application. It’s the hardest step in the Bible study process precisely because it is the most personal. Application requires repentance and faith and change, all of which are hard.
But stopping short of application is also a great tragedy. In fact, many unbelievers would be comfortable observing and interpreting the Bible. We show and pursue the fruit of the Holy Spirit when we apply God’s truth personally and corporately.
Even those familiar with solid Bible study principles may wriggle out of applying God’s word. Seasoned Christians, tired of “read more, pray more” mantras, may dig and brainstorm instead. They end up distracted by a countryside hunt when the treasure was sitting on their doorstep.
In an effort to seem original or deep, our chase for applications can dodge the undeniable thrust of a passage of Scripture. We approach the gold mine with a shovel and end up buried under a pile of nuance.
It’s worth re-orienting ourselves. Peter has urged us to consider two directions (inward and outward) as well as three spheres of application (head, hands, and heart). Though this makes six total combinations (our worksheet can help), not every passage will land on every person or group in all six ways.
However, dividing possible applications into these categories may lead you away from actually applying the main point of a passage. Resist this temptation! Sometimes the next steps are obvious, and instead of spending time checking boxes, we should direct our prayer and planning toward the clear application.
There may be something obvious we should believe (head application).
There may be something obvious we should embrace or love (heart application).
There may be something obvious we should do (hands application).
My small group is studying Luke, and at a recent meeting we read Luke 14:1–24. In part of this passage (verses 7–11), Jesus tells a parable about a wedding feast. Jesus insists that his followers should not assume a place of honor but rather the “lowest place.” This way, if anyone is in the wrong chair, the public re-seating would be honoring instead of shameful. Jesus ends the parable with his main point: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
In our meeting, we talked about humbling ourselves. How can we remember our standing before God on a regular basis?
In the moment, I thought of an obvious application: confessing my sins. In remembering my sins and taking them to God, seeking and receiving his forgiveness because of Jesus’ work, I have a plain application of this passage. I have been trying to work this into my regular devotional life.
Not all passages have obvious applications, but some do. If you have been following Christ for many years, you may instinctively resist what seems easy and obvious. However, these applications are abundant in Scripture for a reason: We need to hear them. Often.
And, as always, remember Jesus as you apply his word. Walk toward that application in the Spirit’s power and with the understanding that—as a Christian—you are already loved and forgiven.
This was originally posted in 2019.
God’s example shows us the way of satisfaction. His empowerment fuels our search for satisfaction. But most importantly, his Son motivates our satisfaction and makes it possible, because he shows us that the Lord’s satisfaction is more important than our own.
Jesus satisfied God’s justice so we could be satisfied by his mercy. Jesus filled himself with our sin so we could be filled with his righteousness. Jesus is ready; we have only to ask for more of him, and we’ll be the most satisfied people on the planet: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to rub shoulders with his Son, who is our life.
If you are the unhappy romantic, you might look to Jesus’ example to show you how to love. You might even ask for his Spirit to help you love rightly. In the end, however, your only hope is to rest in the fact that Jesus already loves and respects you. He suffered for your failure to obey him, and God treats you as his son or daughter – as though Jesus’ obedience were your own.
Drawing nearer to the Lord through the grace of Christ will melt your heart and conform it to his heart. Then it won’t be so bad if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend; all you’ll need is Christ. If you do get hitched, you’ll do it for Jesus and not yourself, which is so much more satisfying. It’s okay if another person lets you down, because Jesus never will.
I know someone who is totally satisfied with his life. He has a high-powered professional career, a beautiful and delightful girlfriend, a lovely home in the heart of a large city, and a perfect home theater system. He has plenty of golfing buddies. His future looks good. His goals are clear. I love this man, and I pray that he’ll get to know Christ. I’ve tried telling him the Good News, but how do you convince someone that he needs Jesus when he already has everything he wants? What concerns me most is not that he wants too much, but that he doesn’t really want enough. He settles for small corporeal pleasures, but doesn’t see that these things will end up letting him down. Please pray for him, and for others you know like him, that his quest for satisfaction would culminate in the best place possible: with Jesus.
And let’s be the kind of people who turn to the Lord for our satisfaction and reflect his joy and glory in everything we do.
This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.
J.A. Medders wants you to see “Bible Reading as a Blessing, Not a Burden.” Here is a taste:
Luke 19:48 …the people were hanging on his words.
Luke’s comment struck me—“hanging on his words.”
Isn’t this what we want in our Bible reading? I crave this kind of attention, posture, and focus for God’s word. But, sadly, it’s not always the case.
I lament the times I read the word and think, “What did I just read? I can’t remember anything.” I was hovering over his words.
I loathe the times I’m distracted by a screen, or a crick in the neck, or an overly groggy eye. Or even worse, when the pillow seems more pleasing.
I suspect I’m not alone in my laments and loathes. And I bet you want to hang on the word of God, too.
Satisfaction is the fruit of both finding and keeping wisdom. Why?
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens;
By his knowledge the deeps broke open,
And the clouds drop down the dew (Prov 3:19-20).
These two verses form the hinge on which the main point of Prov 3:13-26 swings: God designed the universe by means of wisdom. Wisdom is not an end in itself; it ought to lead us to the Lord and Giver of wisdom. Thus, finding satisfaction in wisdom really means finding satisfaction in the Lord. There are at least three biblical reasons why this point is significant.
When God created the world, he set an example for us to follow. He exhibited wisdom then, and he expects us to imitate him now. In particular, Genesis 1 describes how God made a world that was initially dark, shapeless, and empty: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2). He proceeded to give it light (Gen 1:3, 14), shape (Gen 1:4-10, 17-18), and stuff (Gen 1:11-12, 20-25). After doing so, he made people “in his own image,” expecting them to imitate his model (Gen 1:26-28). It pleases God when we bring the light of truth to the darkness, the shape of organization to the wildness, and the fullness of more worshipers to all the corners of the earth. We can do this personally (as we grow in Christ), corporately (as we join and serve a church), or socially (as we engage the culture or help those in need). Such is wisdom: Follow God’s example.
What does God’s example have to do with satisfaction? We’ve already seen the blessings of finding and keeping wisdom. It will go well for us when we do things God’s way. God demonstrates how life works best. When we imitate him, we reap the satisfying fruit of it. Or, to approach it conversely: If you want to know the right thing to do, you’ll have to go to the Lord to find out what it is. Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to learn his ways.
For example, many single people seek satisfaction in romance. Since Jesus’ relationship with the Church sets the pattern for all human romance (Eph 5:22-33), finding wisdom in this realm begins with imitating Jesus’ example. That means men must learn to serve others more than themselves (Eph 5:25). They should become mature enough to teach the Bible (Eph 5:26), and influential enough to help others flourish (Eph 5:27). Women will benefit from holding out for such men, so they can have husbands worth following on their journey toward the Lord. I advise singles to habitually imitate Jesus’ character before dating another person. Failing to do so will result in unsatisfying romance, which is worse than having no romance at all.
At the end of God’s creating work, he gave humanity the authority to rule the world as his representatives: “Fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over…every living thing” (Gen 1:28). They were to care for and protect God’s possessions with love and respect: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). When God entrusted people with this task, he did not leave them ill-equipped. He gave them everything they needed: clear instructions (Gen 1:28, 2:16-17), nutrition (Gen 1:29-30), hydration (Gen 2:10-14), aesthetics (Gen 2:9: “every tree that is pleasant to the sight”), and life (Gen 2:7). He even spelled out the consequences of failure so they’d know what to expect: “in the day that you eat of [the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] you shall surely die” (Gen 2:17). In short, he gave them both the knowledge of what to do, and the resources to carry it out. He built wisdom right into the world so they could download it into their hearts. Such is wisdom: Receive God’s help.
What does God’s empowerment have to do with satisfaction? God’s gift to the wise is not only the strength to make wise choices, but also the satisfaction found in doing so. (See Ecc 5:18-20.) If you need strength to do what God wants you to do, you’ll have to seek God to get it. He is the giver of instruction and ability. Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to receive his power for living.
Let’s say you have a history of unwise dating relationships. You can’t resist a nice body or an attentive ear. You get the attention you desire, but you desire more of it all the time. Because you haven’t learned self-control and self-sacrifice, you can’t keep your lips or hands off your partner. You feel guilty every time you cross the line, but you can see your resolve weakening. You know what Jesus wants you to do. You know what he would do in your place. It’s just so hard to do it yourself. What hope is there that you can find and keep wisdom, and be satisfied in doing so?
Know that if you trust in Jesus, his Spirit is within you. He is at work in you to carry out his will. He can make you more faithful and selfless than you thought possible. His example might encourage you, but his indwelling power provides you with the strength to change. Stop making excuses. Ask him for help, and believe that he can give it.
God’s example and God’s empowerment are wonderful things, but they are not enough to satisfy us with wisdom. If God merely demonstrated and disbursed wisdom, it would be bad news for sinful people; God’s example would crush us, and his empowerment would condemn us. So he didn’t leave it there.
So in addition, he became wisdom for us. The eternal God entered the world as a man, Jesus Christ, and he did for us what we could not do for ourselves: find and keep wisdom. He showed us wisdom, he gave us wisdom, and best of all, he became our wisdom (1 Cor 1:30).
Jesus lived without a trace of foolishness and should have been rewarded with long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, and peace. However, consider what he got:
Yet in dying our death, he brought us life: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). After God accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf, he raised Jesus up:
In short, Jesus lived wisely, and we could not; so he took our place. Upon doing so, he suffered the consequences of our foolishness, so that we who are fools could reap the satisfying rewards of his wisdom. Such is wisdom: Accept God’s rescue.
This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.
Studying the gospel of Luke can be a challenge because it’s such a long and windy book. I’ve written an interpretive overview of the book, but here is another relatively brief overview of the book that will help you get your bearings.
The longest book in the New Testament is the Third Gospel, the account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that is attributed to a man called Luke. Though it is like the other canonical Gospels in many ways, there are nevertheless several details about Jesus’s life and ministry found only in the Gospel of Luke and several points of emphasis unique to his account. For those less familiar with this New Testament book—and even for those who are—let me offer this brief introduction, survey, and summary of the Gospel of Luke.
Nadya Spetnitskaya (2018), public domain
It’s not popular these days. So many people are counting carbs and dodging gluten. But it’s true: I love bread.
Bread is one of God’s great gifts—a gift so great that even someone with my paltry cooking skills can throw together a passable loaf.
While there are thousands of variations, the core bread recipe is remarkably simple: flour, water, yeast, and salt. That’s it.
Experts can punch up the flavor with add-ins and fancy baking techniques, but those four ingredients are essential. Without them, you might whip up something delicious, but you don’t have bread.
It’s the same way with understanding the Bible. There are a few essential elements that must be present if we’re to learn from God’s word.
This may be obvious, but it must be said. In order to understand the Bible, we need to actually read the Bible!
We don’t need to be Hebrew or Greek scholars. God has been generous in providing plenty of quality English translations. And for most of us, these translations are easy to access.
But we do need the actual words of the Bible. Not study notes or a friendly devotional or a commentary. Not at first. We need time to read, hear, and meditate on the words of God.
The Bible is meant for Christians to read and understand. God is not trying to hide its meaning from you. You are smart enough to read and study the Bible.
If we aim to understand the Bible, we must approach it with humility.
What is true in our personal relationships is also true in our approach to the Scriptures—in order to learn, we must be convinced that we have things to learn! When we draw near to the Bible, we are submitting to an authority. We approach the bench in handcuffs, we do not bang the gavel. The posture of the Christian disciple must be one of open hands, bowed head, well-worn knees.
As we meet with God in his word, we acknowledge that we are naive and foolish. Ignorant and forgetful. Frail. Incomplete in our understanding.
But God is wise. He is experienced. All-knowing. Never forgetting. Strong. On top of all that, he loves to communicate about himself and his world through his word.
When we call the Bible “God’s word,” this is not just a synonym. This is a reassuring, bulls eye-accurate description. We must come humbly to the Bible because the God of the universe stands behind these words.
Finally, we need help to understand the Bible. This is help that God loves to give, but we cannot understand the Bible on our own.
God helps us grasp the Bible by coming to us himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. We need the Spirit’s work and power to give us both insight and the gift of repentance.
The Holy Spirit is described as our helper and teacher (John 14:26). Paul writes that we have received the Spirit of God “that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12), and that, because of the Spirit, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Pray and ask for his help as you read the Bible.
There is more to say about studying the Bible, of course. This website is devoted to saying more about studying the Bible! But this article is about the essentials.
Remember this the next time you seek out God in the Scriptures. Read the Bible. Approach with humility. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s help. And God will give you hearty, nourishing, sustaining food that will bring deep satisfaction to your soul.
This was originally published in 2019.
Solomon promises blessing not only to those who find wisdom, but also to those who keep it.
My son, do not lose sight of these—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
And they will be life for your soul
And adornment for your neck.
Then you will walk on your way securely,
And your foot will not stumble.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror
Or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
For the Lord will be your confidence
And will keep your foot from being caught (Prov 3:21-26).
Solomon details for a second time how wisdom satisfies. First, notice what’s similar between this list (Prov 3:21-26) and the first one (Prov 3:13-18). Both sections consist of six verses with a key word near the beginning and ending: This time the key word is “keep” (although, to be technical, the two “keeps” in the Hebrew text are synonyms and not the same word). In addition, both sections give the same list of benefits. Here’s the list from 21-26:
Second, observe what’s different about the two sections: the first section is about “finding” wisdom and “getting” understanding (Prov 3:13), while the second section is about “keeping” them (Prov 3:21). It is not enough that we “find” wisdom (Prov 3:13). We must hold fast to it (Prov 3:18). We must never lose sight of it (Prov 3:21). We must keep it with us at all times (Prov 3:21). The difference is between beginning our journey and ending it. Remember that we never are wise; we can only become wise. Wise people are those who keep moving in the right direction. It might sound cliché, but it’s true: Wisdom is a journey, not a destination. The moment we slow down, we’ve lost our way.
The purpose of this journey is to take us to the Lord. Remember from chapter 1 that the wise are those who are moving toward the Lord. It is critical that we stay this course.
As we “keep” wisdom, the Lord himself will “keep” us from being caught (Prov 3:26). Caught by what, exactly?
God doesn’t want any of these things to ensnare you. Don’t ever let wisdom out of your grasp; chase after it every day. (See Prov 19:27.) Only wisdom can give the satisfaction you’re looking for.
One of my daughters loves fruit. She pursues it like a young lover; she consumes it like an American. She’ll lie like an incumbent to get it, and she’ll scream like a banshee if you take it. We took her strawberry picking once, before she could even walk, and she came home with the juice saturating her jumper, giving her the look of a cannibalistic fiend. She’ll rush through dessert just to get more fruit. Thirty minutes later, she’ll ask for more fruit in a cup to carry around the house and munch on. She’s simply insatiable, and our produce budget can’t keep up.
We should be like that when it comes to wisdom.
This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.
